Ms. Morenike Abu, a Nigerian national, is the Head of the Legal Services Unit at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan, Nigeria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A seasoned legal professional, with over 15 years of diverse experience spanning Legal Practice & Advisory, Contract and Litigation Management, Company Secretariat Services, Intellectual Property Management, and Regulatory & Ethical Compliance in both the private and public sectors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Morenike holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) degree from Olabisi Onabanjo University and a Barrister at Law (B.L) certificate from the Nigerian Law School, Kano. She was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2007. Her professional development includes certifications from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and Copyright X by Harvard Law School and the Berkman. She is affiliated with several professional organizations, such as the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb, UK), the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her legal career began in 2005 as a paralegal with the law firm G.M. Ibru & Co. followed by a role at Akin Omoyinmi & Co. in 2006. She transitioned to Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria PLC in 2007, initially as a Purchasing & Sourcing Officer, before assuming the position of Legal Officer, which she held until 2013. She then joined IITA, where she advanced through roles as Contract Compliance Officer, Contract Compliance Manager, and eventually Legal & Compliance Manager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Morenike is an active contributor to institutional and national initiatives. She is a member of the IITA Internal Review Board (IRB) and the Soybean Product Allocation Committee. She also made history as the first female President of the Management Staff Association (MSA) at IITA, served as the PTA Co-Chair for the International School of IITA, and was a member of the school\u2019s Steering Committee. Notably, she played a pivotal role in the drafting and review of Nigeria\u2019s Plant Variety Protection (PVP) Bill, which became the PVP Act in 2021.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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